Increasing IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities and strict implementation of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) will help control COVID-19 in the city, said Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa at a review meeting on Wednesday.
The CM, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Health Minister K. Sudhakar, and Ministers in-charge of various zones reviewed the measures taken in the city to control the spread of COVID-19. One of the issues addressed was complaints about middlemen charging exorbitant sums from those who have tested positive for COVID-19 seeking beds in hospitals and fake bills being submitted in the name of patients under home quarantine/isolation. Officials concerned were directed to check this and take corrective action immediately.
Nearly 55% of the people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are under home isolation. BBMP officials were also directed to improve contact tracing. However, they reported that either the addresses of many primary and secondary contacts were incorrect or their mobile phones were switched off.
Directions have already been issued to increase the number of RT-PCR tests and reduce RAT. Nearly 47,000 RT-PCR tests are being conducted in the city every day, and so far, over 20 lakh tests have been performed in the city, BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad said and added that more tests were being conducted in four zones.
He told The Hindu that there were many panchayat areas under the Bengaluru Urban district. With difficulty in coordination, the zonal coordinators had suggested that BBMP be the only source of command for all areas. “The government responded positively in this regard,” he said.
Dr. Sudhakar directed officials to monitor patients in the backdrop of cases of reinfection. He also said that with 525 ICU beds available in the city hospitals, there is a need to increase ventilators and ICU beds.
